N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification plays a critical role in cell cycle regulation, while the mechanism of m⁶A in regulating mitosis remains underexplored. Here, we found that the total m⁶A modification level in cells increased during mitosis by the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry and m⁶A dot blot assays. Silencing methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) or METTL14 results in delayed mitosis, abnormal spindle assembly, and chromosome segregation defects by the immunofluorescence. By analyzing transcriptome-wide m⁶A targets in HeLa cells, we identified polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) as a key gene modified by m⁶A in regulating mitosis. Specifically, through immunoblotting and RNA pulldown, m⁶A modification inhibits PLK1 translation via YTH N⁶-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 1, thus mediating cell cycle homeostasis. Demethylation of PLK1 mRNA leads to significant mitotic abnormalities. These findings highlight the critical role of m⁶A in regulating mitosis and the potential of m⁶A as a therapeutic target in proliferative diseases such as cancer.
Humans ; Polo-Like Kinase 1 ; Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism* ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Mitosis/physiology* ; HeLa Cells ; Adenosine/genetics* ; Methyltransferases/metabolism* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism*

Objective To evaluate the potential risk of transmission of angiostrongyliasis by common freshwater snails in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, so as to provide insights into local surveillance of angiostrongyliasis. Methods Common freshwater snails were collected from Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province from March to April, 2020, and identified and bred in laboratory. SD rats were infected with third-stage larvae of Angiostrongylus cantonensis that were isolated from commercially available Pomacea canaliculata snails in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, and freshwater snails were infected with the first-stage larvae of A. cantonensis that were isolated from the feces of SD rats 39 days post-infection at room temperature. The developmental process and morphological characteristics of worms in hosts were observed, and the percentages of A. cantonensis infections in different species of freshwater snails were calculated. Then, SD rats were infected with the third-stage larvae of A. cantonensis that were isolated from A. cantonensis-infected freshwater snails, and the larval development and reproduction was observed. Results More than 3 000 freshwater snail samples were collected from farmlands, ditches and wetlands around Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, and Cipangopaludina chinensis, P. canaliculata, Parafossarulus striatulus, Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni, Galba pervia, Physa acuta, Radix swinhoei, Assiminea spp., Tricula spp. and Bellamya spp. were morphologically identified. A total of 105 commercially available P. canaliculata snails were tested for A. cantonensis infections, and 2 P. canaliculata snails were found to be infected with A. cantonensis, in which the third-stage larvae of A. cantonensis were isolated. Ten species of freshwater snails were artificially infected with the third-stage larvae of A. cantonensis, and all 10 species of freshwater snails were found to be infected with A. cantonensis, with the highest positive rate of A. cantonensis infections in Bellamya spp. (62.3%, 137/204), and the lowest in C. chinensis (35.5%, 11/31). After SD rats were infected with the third-stage larvae of A. cantonensis isolated from different species of freshwater snails, mature adult worms of A. cantonensis were yielded. Conclusions Multiple species of freshwater snails may serve as intermediate hosts of A. cantonensis under laboratory conditions in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province. Further investigations on natural infection of A. cantonensis in wild snails in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture seem justified.

Extremity vascular firearm injury (EVFI) which occurs in large quantities during wartime and is dispersed in peacetime, can result in acute hemorrhagic shock and compartment syndrome, thus seriously endangering the patients′ life. Compared with vascular trauma, vascular firearm injury not only damages the arteries easily, but also has a more severe damage and a poor prognosis. At present, most of relevant reports on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of EVFI in China are based on the treatment experience in Vietnam′s self-defense counterattack and lack subsequent technology, data and wartime echelon treatment. To this end, the authors discussed the epidemiological characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of EVFI by integrating the literature published since the Afghanistan and Iraq War, aiming to provide reference for the diagnosis and treatment of EVFI in China.

Objective:To analyze the types and distribution characteristics of elements in drinking water from endemic fluorosis areas with water improvement in Xi'an City, understand the relationship between fluoride and various elements, and conduct health risk assessment on potential high-risk elements.Methods:From May to June 2017, one endemic fluorosis area with water improvement (Gaoling District, Huyi District, Lintong District) was selected according to the northeast, the southwest and the due east directions of Xi'an City as the survey area. Sixteen endemic fluorosis villages were selected from each endemic area, and 2 water samples were collected from each endemic village to detect fluoride and 12 elements such as chromium, manganese, ferrum, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, molybdenum, cadmium, antimony, barium, and lead. Hygienic evaluation was conducted according to national standards, and the potential high-risk elements (arsenic, molybdenum) were assessed for health risk through the health risk assessment model recommended by the National Environmental Protection Agency of the United States.Results:The water samples from the endemic fluorosis areas in Xi'an City mainly contained seven elements: barium, ferrum, molybdenum, arsenic, zinc, manganese, and chromium. The content of copper and selenium was relatively low, while the content of cadmium, antimony, and lead was extremely low. The fluoride content in water samples from Gaoling District and Lintong District was relatively high, and the fluorine, arsenic, molybdenum elements was pairwise positively correlated ( P < 0.05). The molybdenum element in water samples from Lintong District exceeded 9.38% (3/32). The fluoride in the water samples of Huyi District was relatively low, and the arsenic, molybdenum elements was positively correlated ( r = 0.84, P < 0.001), and the arsenic element exceeded the standard by 25.00% (8/32). The main health risk of drinking water in endemic fluorosis areas with water improvement in Xi'an City was arsenic exposure, with children at a higher risk than adults, and the areas of Huyi District, Lintong District, and Gaoling District declined, the risk of cancer (CR) of Gaoling District was < 10 -4 and hazard quotient (HQ) was < 1. However, in the areas of Huyi District and Lintong District (except HQ of adults), there was a higher risk (CR > 10 -4, HQ > 1). Children in one endemic fluorosis village in Lintong District had a higher non carcinogenic risk of molybdenum (HQ > 1). Conclusions:The drinking water in endemic fluorosis areas with water improvement in Xi'an City mainly contains 7 elements, especially arsenic and molybdenum, which need to be regularly monitored. Some areas have high health risks of arsenic in water, and monitoring, management, and related epidemiological investigations need to be strengthened. At the same time, it is necessary to actively monitor other toxic and harmful substances that may be introduced during the water improvement process to prevent the occurrence of secondary health problems.

Craniocerebral war injury, mainly caused by weaponry equipment and wartime conditions during warfare, are characterized by high difficulty in treatment and evacuation as well as high mortality rate. The field surgical treatment of craniocerebral war injury is not only related to injury characteristics, but also to factors such as war scale, combat style, combat area and weapon power. In recent years, there have been few comprehensive reports on the characteristics and field surgical treatment of craniocerebral war injury in China. Therefore, the authors reviewed the research progress in the characteristics and field surgical treatment of craniocerebral war injuries in foreign armies since 2001, with the aim to provide a reference for relevant basic researches and war injury treatment in China.

Angiostrongyliasis cantonensis is an emerging infectious disease in China. Snails are intermediate hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and play a critical role in the transmission of angiostrongyliasis cantonensis. Detection of A. cantonensis in snails is an important part of epidemiological surveys. Currently, the rapid developments in the techniques for detection of A. cantonensis in snails facilitate the surveillance of angiostrongyliasis cantonensis and provide an important support for angiostrongyliasis cantonensis prevention and control. This review summarizes the advances in the techniques for detection of A. cantonensis in snails.

The ectopic salivary gland refers to the presence of salivary gland tissue in an area other than the site where salivary glands normally exist. They often occur near the line connecting the external ear canal and the medial border of the clavicle. It is extremely rare to occur in the urogenital system. This paper retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of a patient with ectopic salivary glands accidentally discovered due to testicular torsion. Patients are generally asymptomatic. If there is no fistula leading to the skin or mucosal surface, it is difficult to find clinically. The diagnosis depends on postoperative pathological examination. For ectopic salivary glands, surgery is required regardless of the location.

Objective: To explore the efficacy of ossiculoplasty surgery under oto-endoscope in patients of conductive hearing loss with intact tympanic membrane. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted. The clinical data of 45 patients with conductive hearing loss who had undergone simple ossiculoplasty surgery between October 2015 and December 2017 from five hospitals in China (West China Hospital of Sichuan University, General Hospital of the People′s Liberation Army, Shanghai Ninth People′s Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University and Shenzhen Sixth People′s Hospital) were collected. There were 28 males and 17 females, with the age ranging from 12 to 69 years old. The tympanic membranes of those patients were intact before surgery. The lesion only occurred in the ossicular chain from CT and intraoperative exploration. The cases of otosclerosis, tympanosclerosis, cholesteatoma of middle ear, chronic suppurative otitis media, and tumor of middle ear were excluded. The postoperative complications, hearing improvements and operation time were observed. SPSS 23.0 software was used for statistic analysis. Results: There was neither sensorineural hearing loss nor facial paralysis after surgery in this group. Seven patients had transient mild tinnitus after surgery and gradually relieved during the follow-up period. Nine patients developed dysgeusia after surgery. Two patients developed dizziness after surgery, and the symptoms were mild and relieved during 1 week without special intervention. The air-bone gap (ABG) range of pre-operation was 22.5-45.7 dB, and the average ABG was (25.3±8.6) dB. The ABG range in the third month after surgery was 5.7-26.8 dB, and the average ABG was (9.3±8.6) dB. The mean value of ABG was significantly lower in the third month after surgery compared with that of pre-operation (t=2.31, P<0.05). The operation time of the surgeons in each research center was similar. The overall average of operation time was (43.56±18.25) min. There was no significant difference in the duration of operation between the centers (F=3.26, P>0.05). Conclusion The ossiculoplasty surgery under oto-endoscope has good efficacy.

PURPOSE: Research has shown that sevoflurane-induced toxicity causes neurodegeneration in the developing brain. miR-34a has been found to negatively regulate ketamine-induced hippocampal apoptosis and memory impairment. However, the role of miR-34a in sevoflurane-induced hippocampal neurodegeneration remains largely unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: C57/BL6 mice (7-day-old) inhaled 2.3% sevoflurane for 2 h/day over 3 consecutive days. miR-34a expression was reduced through intracerebroventricular injection with miR-34a interference lentivirus vector (LV-anti-miR-34a) into mouse hippocampus after anesthesia on the first day of exposure. Hippocampal apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay and flow cytometry analysis. Spatial memory ability was evaluated by the Morris water maze test. The interaction between miR-34a and Wnt1 was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, Western blot, and immunofluorescence staining. The effects of miR-34a on protein levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), bcl-2-like protein 4 (Bax), and Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related proteins were evaluated using Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Sevoflurane upregulated hippocampal miR-34a, and miR-34a inhibitor attenuated sevoflurane-induced hippocampal apoptosis and memory impairment. miR-34a negatively regulated Wnt1 expression by targeting miR-34a in hippocampal neurons. Moreover, forced expression of Wnt1 markedly undermined miR-34a-mediated enhancement of sevoflurane-induced apoptosis of hippocampal neurons, while Wnt1 silencing greatly restored anti-miR-34a-mediated repression of sevoflurane-induced apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. Increased expression of miR-34a inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in hippocampal neurons exposed to sevoflurane, while anti-miR-34a exerted the opposite effects. CONCLUSION: miR-34a inhibitor may effectively protect against sevoflurane-induced hippocampal apoptosis via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by targeting Wnt1.
Anesthesia ; Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Brain ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Hippocampus ; Immunoprecipitation ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Lentivirus ; Luciferases ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Memory ; Mice ; Neurons ; Repression, Psychology ; RNA ; Spatial Memory ; Water

Objective: To assess the incidence and independent risk factors for clinical anastomotic leakage (AL) in patients undergoing anterior resection (AR) or low anterior resection, (LAR) for rectal cancer. Methods: This was a retrospective case-control study of 550 patients with rectal cancer who underwent AR or LAR from April 2007 to March 2017 in Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University. The relationship between the incidence of AL and clinicopathological manifestations was analyzed by Chi-squared test and Fisher exact test, and the independent risk factors of AL were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. AL is defined as a defect (including necrosis or abscess formation) of the intestinal wall at the anastomotic site, leading to a communication between the intra- and extra-luminal compartments. AL can be divided into three grades. Grade A anastomotic leakage results in no change in the management of patients, whereas grade B leakage requires active therapeutic intervention but is manageable without re-laparotomy. Grade C anastomotic leakage requires re-laparotomy. Results: AL was noted in 32 (5.8%) of 550 patients with rectal cancer who underwent AR or LAR, including 15 (46.9%) , 4 (12.5%) , and 13 patients (40.6%) with Grades A, B, and C, respectively. Five patients (0.9%, 5/550) died peri-operatively. AL- and non-AL-related deaths occurred in 3 (9.4%, 3/32, all cases were Grade C) and 2 patients (0.4%, 2/518) , respectively, with the two mortality rates being significant difference (P = 0.002) . Chi-squared test or Fisher exact test showed that the incidence of AL was associated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (P = 0.011) , intraoperative bleeding (≥100 ml) (χ² = 11.980, P = 0.001) , and tension-reducing suture of anastomosis (P = 0.015) . The results of logistic regression analysis showed that the independent risk factors of AL were neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (OR = 2.402, 95%CI: 1.004 - 5.749, P = 0.049) , intraoperative bleeding (≥100 ml) (OR = 2.971, 95%CI: 1.269 - 6.957, P = 0.012) and tension-reducing suture of anastomosis (OR = 2.304, 95%CI: 1.008 - 5.263, P = 0.048) . Conclusion The incidence of AL in patients undergoing AR for rectal cancer is 5.8%. The high-risk factors for AL are neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, intraoperative bleeding (≥100 ml) , and tension-reducing suture of anastomosis. Patients with these three risk factors have a high risk of AL rate, and a defunctioning stoma should be performed.